The project
This collaborative project is embedded in the Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity and is funded by the ADORE Foundation. ADORE, which stands for AmsterDam Oncology and Neuroscience REsearch, is a collaborative effort between the Cancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, comprising a total of over 2,000 researchers. It represents a bold and innovative approach to medical scientific research. Under this concept, our foremost cancer researchers and neuroscientists will collaborate to unravel the most pressing issues related to cancer and brain diseases, such as dementia and MS.
Immune responses in the central nervous system (CNS) have opposing effects on disease outcome. The altered brain microenvironment and consequent attraction of (auto)reactive immune cells into the CNS are key detrimental events in neurological disorders, such as dementia and multiple sclerosis (MS), and contribute to disease pathology. In contrast, in brain tumors, the CNS micro-environment actively limits the infiltration of tumor reactive immune cells, ...
About your role
In this specific post-doc project, we will conduct fundamental research
- Into which mechanisms underlie immune cell migration across the brain barriers in context of mentioned diseases.
- To decipher the role of the altered brain microenvironment in this process.
As a postdoc, you will develop immune competent brain organoids based on iPSC technology that mimic disease setting and connect them to the brain barriers using various human in vitro platforms. Identified pathways critical for the altered CNS immune responses will be modulated in appropriate humanized models using either CRISPR/CAS9 or lentiviral technology or via pharmacological manipulation and the subsequent effect on immune cell activation and trafficking will be determined.
About you
You are a highly motivated and enthusiastic researcher with affinity for (neuro)immunology, neuroscience and cell biology. Your attitude is flexible and pro-active with team spirit, but you also work well independently. You have a ‘can-do’ mentality, with patience and perseverance. In addition to that you have:
- A completed PhD in a field related to neuroinflammation and/or iPSC organoid cultures or organ on a chip models.
- A master’s degree in a field related to biomedical sciences, neuroscience, neuro-oncology, immunology, tissue engineering.
- Experience with in vitro models using iPSC technology and gene editing (i.e. Crispr/Cas). This is a must.
- Excellent communications skills in English, both written and verbal.
- Hepatitis B vaccination is mandatory and will be provided by Amsterdam UMC (if applicable).
36 hours per week
Location VUmc
Fixed-term
€ 3.493 - € 5.504
React until: 11 November 2024
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